


The Lady and The Lion

by Petrichor11037



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Bigotry & Prejudice, Corporal Punishment, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Familiars, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Master/Pet, Master/Slave, Multi, Physical Abuse, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-01-15 13:59:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18500443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petrichor11037/pseuds/Petrichor11037
Summary: When Lucia Thornheart's cousin, an esteemed and powerful mage, requests to send his precious white-lion familiar to her when he's called away for a conference, Lucia is less than enthusiastic about the idea. As the Mayor of a prospering countryside town, she has little interest in babysitting his favourite pet, who would be nothing more than an exotic burden. But as Orion begins to eclipse her expectations, she finds her preconceptions of familiars melting away, and maybe - just maybe - her attitudes and treatment of a race she had always turned a blind eye to begin to shift.Set in the universe of Weak Constitution: Common Cat by Awkward_Dragon.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Weak Constitution: Common Cat](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17302013) by [Awkward_Dragon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Awkward_Dragon/pseuds/Awkward_Dragon). 



> Hello everyone,
> 
> This is a short work that I'd originally planned as a one-shot, set in the world of Awkward_Dragon's Weak Constitution: Common Cat. I found some of its concepts within the universe really interesting, and wanted to explore society's wider treatment of familiars in this work. Though not necessary to understand this work, I'd recommend giving Weak Constitution: Common Cat a read.
> 
> Bearing that in mind, I've naturally had to take a lot of liberties with the story and my own interpretation of the society: with the work that this takes inspiration from incomplete, that means that there may be many inconsistencies between the stories. Effectively, though I've tried to conform as much as I can to the details given in WC:CC, please consider the details of this work independently, a non-canon interpretation, if you will. 
> 
> With that said, thank you very much for reading: I hope you have as much fun as I did writing this, and as always, all comments and constructive feedback are greatly appreciated!

Lucia sighed, standing from her desk and moving to the front window of the room that overlooked the town. Befitting of the position of Fayspire's mayor, her office sat at the top floor of the town hall, the large glass panels a pleasant feature of the otherwise richly decorated room.

 

Upon her desk lay a cream envelope, with the lavender wax seal broken and its contents already brushed aside. She had just received a letter from her cousin, an esteemed mage of the Von Icia family. With the earliest throes of summer in full swing, the majority of their other relatives were either abroad, caught up in the hectic work season or otherwise duly occupied. Athan Von Icia himself had been invited to a prestigious political conference in the capital - the kind of event where a man of his disposition claimed to be obligated to attend, and the kind of event that was not at all intended for the likes of familiars. Indeed, even the most well-regarded of their species would be frowned upon, and bringing one would even border upon inappropriate conduct given the intellectual esteem of the event. As such, given the length of the trip and that much of his house's staff would accompany him, Athan had requested that his familiar be sent to stay with Lucia in Fayspire.

 

Fayspire was known to be a bucolic town, known for its lush hills and village-like dynamic, yet with all the advantages of a larger city: well-built roads, an animated city centre and plenty to do without it seeming overcrowded. His familiar, Athan had declared in his letter, was an exotic, magically powerful and valuable breed, an Asiatic White Lion. So prized was his only familiar that Athan had deemed him worthy of a name early into his career: Orion. According to her cousin, Orion had been put to "good use" recently, and Athan thought that it would give him a chance to return to his "optimal parameters" if only he had a slight change of air - not to mention, it would be far safer for him in Fayspire, where he wouldn't attract the attention of jealous, malicious mages.

 

With Lucia as the town's mayor, and a member of the influential Thornheart family, she had practically unlimited jurisdiction over the area. With Fayspire tucked far enough away into the hills, she had been given free reign to govern the town, and had proven herself to be a firm, yet benevolent, leader. She was respected by all of the townspeople, and admired about as much as she was feared. Her status would guarantee Orion's safety, and, with all of the town's resources broadly under her control, she knew she had little way to refuse Athan's request.

 

To be perfectly frank, having to babysit a magical pet was a concept she wasn't particularly enthused by. She was a busy woman: an entire town relied on her abilities, but it was just like her cousin to ignore that in a self-righteous, selfish manner. Naturally, she had trained in the arts of magic, and had been fairly talented at it too. Despite the rarity of her skills, however, she'd never had much of an interest in becoming a mage, nor familiars. Governance was her true calling, and the life of a soldier hadn't appealed to her. Although she had attended a fairly rural, though respected, magic academy during her high school years, she'd been powerful enough that she hadn't needed a conduit for her spells. In fact, Lucia had never really paid much regard to familiars before, though she knew they'd certainly increased in popularity in the cities, more as pet-servant hybrids than for actual spellcasting. Still, with her staff, it wouldn't be too difficult for her to look after a single familiar for a brief time.

 

Lucia mulled it over in her mind, resigned herself to the inevitable, and began to compose her reply.

 

<>

 

Three weeks later, Lucia arrived at her home, Thornheart Manor, in the early evening. She'd had a somewhat intensive day of meetings, and was quite exhausted. As she was greeted by her servants in the entrance hall, however, her head maid discreetly requested her attention.

 

"Welcome home, Miss Lucia. I'm obliged to inform you that Mr Von Icia's familiar arrived to the manor late this evening, and we've successfully stored his belongings and set him up in a room." Penelope said, as polite as ever. She had always carried herself with a regal sort of demureness.

 

"Thank you, Penelope. In the servant's quarters with the rest of you, I assume?"

 

"No, mistress, I'm afraid we've had to move him to one of the older servant's rooms on the third floor." That was strange, Lucia thought - those rooms were far outmoded, although most of the third floor had been refurbished for her chambers.

 

"Whyever would you do that?" Lucia said, her tone confused rather than accusing.

 

"Well, mistress, I'm afraid he was rather agitated by the noisiness of the kitchens. The loud sounds carry easily, you see." Lucia almost rolled her eyes - how arrogant and pampered was this overgrown cat? She would certainly put him in his place; he was in no position to be making demands of her staff. She was about to cut in with irritation, when Penelope continued, "Mr Von Icia asked me to apologise on his behalf for his state. He said that, with their upcoming separation, he became overexcited, and may have gone too far considering that he is to be temporarily bequeathed to you." She paused. "The familiar still hasn't regained consciousness."

 

Stars, Lucia thought, grasping the situation. "I see. Thank you, dear, as always you've been very helpful. I'll go and see him as soon as I've settled my immediate tasks." With that, she moved to complete the work-related chores she had to finish before she went upstairs to her chambers. She changed out of her formal attire to more comfortable, though still tasteful, wear, and washed her hands and face, patting them dry with fluffy towels. One of her butlers offered her a refreshing, berry drink as she came downstairs to check on the day's events. Once that was all seen to, she walked back upstairs, down to the end of the corridor where the old servant's rooms were located. There were only three on this floor, cosy and tucked away, used in the old days in case masters of the manor desired attending to in the night. They had been abandoned before Lucia had taken over, though, and awaited refurbishment.

 

Lucia entered without knocking; it was only a familiar, after all.

 

Seeing the old room after so much time was almost jarring. Aside froom the sparse, basic furniture that had been left, it was empty, with the only real decoration a royal blue carpet to cover the rustic wooden floorboards. A small briefcase, presumably with Orion's master's belongings, leant against a wall. On the single bed lay a man lying face-down. Lucia didn't so much as flinch at the state of him, merely observing him coolly, and pulling up a chair for a closer look.

 

Lucia was a tall woman, but Orion almost matched her height - perhaps he was only an inch or two shorter. Dressed in nothing but simple, black, 3/4 length trousers, he lay above the covers. He had a lean build, ever so slightly on the lanky side, but his muscles were well-defined without looking out of place. Lucia was sure that, if he was on his back, she would see the outline of abdominal muscles. His hair was kept short, only about three inches at its very longest, and was a chestnut brown. As with most familiars, he had animalistic features: two soft, incredibly fluffy, pale white lion ears with longer tufts of brown fur at their outline adorned his head, and he had a long, white lion's tail that tapered to a tuft of darker brown hair, almost black at the tips. His face was turned towards her. He had handsome features, with a defined jawline but a face that wasn't too angular. Truly, he was the picture of a fine, high-quality familiar - at least superficially.

 

Or, he would have been, if he didn't have so many injuries littering his body.

 

His back was the most egregious region, screaming red. Whip marks were fresh and unhealed, burning crimson, with more scars from a cane across his back. Compared to some of their deepness, his most recent lashing didn't seem to be too bad, but his wounds had still been bleeding recently. Across his arms, too, were dark cane marks and purpling bruises. Along his arms, and from what she could see of his torso, were lines that seemed to indicate rope burns. Prominently defined on his wrists were marks that seemed to come from cuffs that were too tight: at their edges, his skin was peeling in places. His ankles seemed to be the same. From his neck, even a bite mark or two could be seen. Fortunately, his face was unscarred, but it was by no means free of bruising.

 

Lucia inspected him for a short while, gingerly lifting his arm to examine the scarring of his hands - of which there was fortunately little - and the pronunciation of his ribs. Perhaps a little on the lighter side, he seemed to be very well-fed given his muscle definition. His body was entirely hairless, too, save for his animal features. After a few minutes of looking him over, Orion began to stir slightly. A thin sheen of sweat coated his forehead, and a moan of pain escaped his lips as he subconsciously adjusted the position of his body.

 

"Are you awake?" Lucia asked, authority apparent in her voice.

 

The man stirred further on the bed, another noise of anguish audible in the room, but soon after, his body went still. It was too weak to fidget further.

 

"White lion familiar of Athan Von Icia?" Lucia pressed.

 

The familiar opened his eyes slowly with a hum-like groan. His eyes focused on nothing at first, but he came to his senses fairly rapidly once his eyes were open. They dropped as soon as they settled on Lucia, who radiated the aura of his new temporary owner.

 

In spite of his obvious pain, Orion rose instantly - in the most submissive way. He propped himself up on his arms only slightly, before sliding himself to his knees on the floor and bowing his head. His body seemed stiff, and his back distressed by the movement, but no noises of pain escaped him: he was completely silent, entirely controlled. He placed his hands in front of him, using them to support his body in a sort of kneeling half-bow. "You have my sincerest apologies for my uncouth greeting, Mistress Lucia. I will accept any punishment you deem necessary, with all my gratitude." His voice was a rich baritone, only slightly raspy from his state.

 

Lucia regarded him in silence for a few moments. She hadn't expected him to be able to move, but his actions were appropriate for a familiar of his standing. "Yes, yes, I shall think of an upcoming punishment, though my staff did place you on the bed, so I won't punish you for violating furniture standards," she said disinterestedly. "You caused my staff quite some trouble." Orion launched into another rehearsed apology, but Lucia cut him off. "But I see now your master has been quite rough with you. Are you not in pain?"

 

"I confess that I am, excruciatingly, mistress," Orion said steadily, not lifting his gaze. "But I assure you, it will not impede me from offering you the full extent of my services. Indeed, I would be more than happy to fulfil any of your wishes at this present moment-"

 

"Look at me."

 

Orion's reaction was instant, lifting his gaze smoothly but immediately. Lucia gave him a piercing stare. His eyes were a steely grey, but uniquely, his left eye had a ring of hazel-gold around its iris. The familiar was unflinching in his eye contact, an exhausted sort of determination evident in his gaze. Without breaking eye contact, Lucia hooked two fingers under his black, leather collar, and tugged him forward slightly. He barely stumbled, as though he had expected the movement.

 

"Your master is terribly arrogant, parading you in here with a symbol of him when legally, you belong to me now. At least for the time being. This will be replaced at the earliest convenience. You may drop your gaze." Orion did so immediately, focusing on the furniture behind her as opposed to only the floor. At least he was well behaved, she thought approvingly. Lucia leaned forward: the bruising on his neck was minimal, but the collar was stiff, undoubtedly uncomfortable. She supposed that that was standard, though.

 

She reached out a hand to brush the tip of the familiar's fluffy white ear. Orion reacted involuntarily, though he masked well the slight shudder that was dealt to his body. "Thank you, mistress. If you would be so kind, the ears are the most sensitive area of my breed's typing. I apologise, but I may move involuntarily if I am touched there." He dropped his gaze further as he spoke. Lucia was familiar with this fact, though it seemed Orion was more vulnerable to it than most breeds.

 

"Is that so? That's your excuse?" Lucia pressed, moving her hand towards his right ear once more. She stroked it again, gently, but then more firmly began to dig her fingers into the expanse of his soft fur. Orion reacted visibly under her touch, resisting the urge to move and only squirming slightly, but began to shudder more and more severely as she continued to stimulate the area. As far as she was aware, it wasn't a sexual zone - just extremely sensitive. She noted Orion's breathing becoming more laboured than before as he struggled to fight his body's instincts to move, to roll over. His injuries probably worsened the pain of the sensation. He held out admirably for perhaps as long as fifteen seconds before he gasped and flinched. Still, Lucia did not relent.

 

"Mistress, please, I-" he almost begged. For a high-end familiar to break a formal seating position, particularly in their first meeting with their owner, was considered exceptionally rude. A mark of disrespect, an indication of no discipline, to the point where the punishment for doing so would far exceed any for speaking out of turn. Lucia stopped. She stood, turning to the window and leaving Orion to compose himself.

  
"Not as disciplined as I thought," she tutted. Orion remained silent with all the fractured dignity he could muster. Lucia went to the sink and, picking up a glass, half filled it with water. The taps in the old room no longer were fitted with proper filters. She wouldn't drink it, but it was only a familiar, after all. She returned to her seat, swirling the glass as if it wasn't for him. "On account of your current injuries, I shall let these transgressions slide for today. Proper punishments will be carried out after you have recovered."

 

"Of course, thank you, mistress." His voice was rougher, his demeanour more tired. Lucia presumed that he was being pushed to his limits.

 

"Describe to me your skills."

 

"I have trained in a range of activities, mistress, from pleasure and entertainment to domestic tasks ranging from chores to gourmet cooking. I was trained to be an exemplar familiar who required no further teaching upon purchase, and so I have had many resources invested into me. I am certain you will find that my variety of abilities is befitting of a familiar of my regard. Rest assured, I am knowledgeable in how to pleasure both men and women. If I may," he continued, "I believe you may especially enjoy my abilities as a masseuse." Lucia's expression hardened - had that been prompted by the tension he'd observed in her muscles? She had been working hard, but surely he had only had a brief chance to look.

 

"I see. Place your hands behind your back - head up." Orion did so with ease, despite how cruel Lucia knew her command was: she knew his hands would have to brush against the open wounds on his back, but the lion didn't make so much as a sound. He continued to avoid eye contact. "Drink," Lucia said, offering the water to his lips. It was clear it took restraint for him not to gulp it down: he was parched. The familiar licked his lips once he had finished.

 

"I am most grateful for your kindness, mistress."

 

"For tonight, you may rest. You have my permission to use the bed, but you are not to leave this room aside from the staff ensuite next door. Tomorrow, I will have someone help you bathe and clean your wounds, and then you will help my household by working in some way. Do not think yourself above my staff here: you may be a prized familiar, but your magical capabilities are of no value to me. You are temporarily mine in every sense of the word, and you should bear that in mind. You are to treat all of my servants with the utmost respect, but don't be dramatic with it. Be practical." It wouldn't do if he was constantly attempting to uphold meaningless formalities with them. "Understood?"

 

"Yes, thank you mistress," Orion said, his voice sounding genuinely grateful. Lucia stood to leave. All in all, she thought, it hadn't been too bad - he had been pliant and pleasant-mannered, and with the context of his wounds, Lucia could find no real faults with him yet.

 

In a sudden spur of the moment, she turned back from the doorway. "I'll have one of the servants bring you a meal later," she said, and left. Orion wasn't quick enough to react, but as the door shut, she heard a subdued, "Goodnight, mistress." Lucia did not reply: she knew it was unconventional to feed him, but perhaps a small part of her was mildly impressed with his endurance. She had been toying with him, testing him, and given that Orion didn't seem terribly stupid, she was certain that he had known that. Yet he had reacted submissively, demurely, and never formally breached a familiar's proper conduct. Although, she thought, her bar of expectation for the familiar had been dramatically low: maybe she shouldn't be surprised that she almost half-liked the thing after seeing that he was genuinely a quality product. 

 

At the top of the stairs, Lucia turned to head downstairs for dinner. She had business and her duties to worry about, but she knew that when she retired, when she had time to think, she would reflect further on her first meeting with the white lion. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orion struggles to please Lucia, who is forced to confront her conflicted emotions towards familiars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Just a quick warning that this chapter features some physical abuse in the form of Lucia punishing Orion; I don't go into too much detail, but please do be aware if that's something that bothers you.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the chapter.

Lucia awoke in a cold sweat, calling Emilia's name.

 

Another nightmare since she'd heard of the familiar. Meeting him had done little to quell her memories.

 

She removed the hand from her forehead, pulling the curtains open. The burnt light of sunrise streamed through the windows.

 

Although it was Saturday morning, it was time for her to begin the day.

 

-=-

 

Orion, she learned, had been refusing to eat.

 

It had been two days since he had arrived, but yesterday, only a few hours after he had been put to work, he had collapsed. "My apologies, mistress. I had thought that Clive informed you," she said, frowning at the under-butler's incompetence. "Unfortunately, some of the staff members don't care for familiars. They managed a few kicks in an attempt to wake him, before I could intervene." But for Lucia, fresh with memories of her old friend, the last thing she wanted to do was deal with the familiar.

 

"Tell them that nobody, under any circumstances, is to touch my familiar without my express permission. The only exception is you, and any others you deem trustworthy enough when helping him bathe and refreshing his bandages."

 

"Of course, mistress."

 

Lucia had Orion confined to his room, where he could be managed. She had sent someone to fetch the familiar-specific food Orion had apparently requested during his refusal to eat. Lucia vaguely remembered such a thing existing from her days at school, but she knew for a fact that they were compatible with normal foods. Irritated, she waited until evening before she confronted him.

 

The familiar was kneeling by his bed, his head bowed submissively. His ears twitched in an acknowledgement to her entrance, and he was halfway through greeting her before she cut him off with a slap.

 

"It's not a familiar's place to inconvenience their owner," she said, irritably.

 

"My apologies, mistress," he said, seeming to collapse in on himself as he recovered. 

 

"You had every opportunity to inform me before you begun your hunger strike. And for what? You could've eaten what you were given. Was your disobedience a ploy for attention?"

 

Orion's ears folded downwards, dejectedly. "I have no excuses, mistress. Forgive me; I hadn't realised that I had your generous permission. I promise, I will eat whatever is offered to me in future."

 

"That's good to hear," Lucia said coolly, pulling up a chair. From her pocket, she produced a packet of the grey pellets that familiars were accustomed to. They were entirely unappealing; grainy, cylindrical and unpleasantly scentless, but concentrated with all of the nutrients a familiar would need to survive. She tore open the packet, and spilled a few onto the dusty floorboards by her feet. "Then you'll prove it now, whilst grovelling. Hands behind your back."

 

"Of course, mistress," the familiar obliged, crawling forward. It was pitifully humiliating. Lucia watched as he licked the pellets from the floor, slowly, and without hesitation. This was normal conduct for owners, Lucia knew; would Emilia have done this? Was she watching, wherever she was, satisfied with Lucia's behaviour?

 

"Thank you, mistress."

 

Lucia froze. An intense feeling of disgust settled in her stomach. Only a resigned, unreadable expression manifested across the familiar's face. Then, she heard his stomach grumble, and all but physically recoiled.

 

She tossed the packet towards him. "Suitable meals will be arranged for you from now on," she muttered. And then she left, feebly attempting to battle the sense of disgust she felt with herself.

 

-=-

 

The issue of Orion's collar had to be resolved. Whilst she would have otherwise ignored the familiar for as long as she could, the appointment with the collar tailor was scheduled the day after the incident.

 

She found him waiting patiently by the door, as instructed, with his hands folded demurely in front of him and his head facing down. Already, she noted, he looked to be in stronger shape than when he had arrived, though perhaps it was his attire: with black trousers and a plain white dress shirt, both well-fitted, there were no signs to indicate his injuries. "You'll ride with me in the carriage," she said, and expected him to follow.

 

The tailor's shop was somewhat out of the way: Fayspire was hardly a mage's town, and although they certainly attracted a handful with the beautiful landscape, it was far from a hotspot of activity for them. And so they had to journey to the outskirts, quite a distance from the centrally-located manor.

 

"How are you recovering?" She asked the familiar, who had placed himself silently on the floor.

 

"Well, thank you, mistress. My typing is stronger and more durable than the average breed of familiar, and I expect I'll return to my full capabilities within the next few days, thanks to your kindness."

 

Lucia couldn't bring herself to do much more than ignore him after that. All familiars were lesser beings, who needed to be subjugated by humanity to prevent their evils: she owed it to herself to remind herself of that. 

 

"May I ask, mistress," Orion began tentatively. "How would you like me to carry myself in public, to best please you?"  
  
  


She considered this for a moment. "With the dignity of a familiar befitting of your station. And," she said, thinking it to be for the best, "In future, you have permission to make eye contact with me. I won't punish you for doing so."

 

"Thank you."

 

-=-

 

The pleasantries at the collar shop were the same as always, and Lucia willed the process to be over quickly. "I assume you received my requests?"

 

"Of course, Lady Thornheart. We've prepared two prototypes for you, one which can be used immediately, and the other that we'll make any further adjustments to. If you'd follow me," the assistant said warmly.

 

The collars were presented in dark, red velvet boxes. Lucia's tastes in collars leaned towards simple and refined: she had chosen a plain black leather, with a comfortable suede lining in the middle. The silver buckle was fairly understated, to be elegantly attached at the back of the neck. At the centre of the collar was the Thornheart family crest, embossed in a plain white with the crest's signature burgundy accents. Lucia picked one up, fingering the inside - they were certainly well-made, but she found herself considering: was it soft enough? She immediately dismissed such a thought, though. It was only for a familiar. Her only purpose in replacing his previous collar was that, firstly, it wasn't hers, and secondly, its plastic material looked tacky. "Well?" she asked, glancing at her familiar.

 

"They're excellent, mistress. A credit to your tastes," Orion said amiably, somehow managing to utter the words with absolute sincerity. Lucia rolled her eyes.

 

"Can we put one on him immediately?"

 

"Of course, ma'am. We'll need to use a specific tool to remove his old one, which looks to be semi-permanent. As long as you're certain, we'll proceed."

 

"I am, thank you."

 

The woman left the room, returning with an implement that looked to be fairly crude; the blade of it had been heated to the point where it glowed red. Orion moved his head obligingly in a practiced motion, but Lucia hesitated. "Is that safe?"

 

"I'm alright, mistress," Orion said, and Lucia picked up on a note of tiredness in his voice. She recognised it for the tone Penelope would occasionally get, when she was frustrated by incompetence, or others second-guessing the tasks that she was used to completing to an impeccable standard. When she made eye-contact with him, he stared back resolutely.

 

"We use this on all familiars, ma'am. If you'd like to follow my colleague next door, we can package your items for you and discuss any further adjustments," the tailor reassured her.

 

"Alright."

 

-=-

 

Less than an hour later, with the new collar fitted and adjustments ordered, Orion knelt on the floor of the carriage once more.

 

"Come here, Orion," she said, gesturing to his neck. He moved towards her, and leaned his head upwards obligingly to allow her a better view of the collar. She ran her fingers across it gently, feeling the indents of her embossed family crest. It was nice; it suited him well. She wondered how tightly the buckle had been attached. "Turn around."

 

Yet Orion didn't immediately move. Lucia looked down, and when she did so, Orion's eyes flicked upwards to meet hers. "Mistress Thornheart," he murmured gently, the atmosphere changing with his shift in demeanour. "If you would allow me... How may I please you? I've recovered well enough that you can use me, and bend me to your will... I wish to bring to fruition anything you desire." His voice spoke softly, having adopted a sultry, whispering tone. His eyelids had drooped, and he batted them suggestively, his ears moving playfully on his head. He leaned forward gently, prying her legs open without her even realising it, and he leant down to nuzzle his cheek against the inside of her thigh. He licked his lips and looked up innocently, and Lucia felt entranced; she could feel the moist heat of his breath against her-

 

"Get _away_ from me," Lucia hissed, kneeing him harshly in the chest. The familiar jolted away at the impact, his ears flat against his head and his eyes wide. "What are you doing?"

 

"Nothing, my lady; I simply wish to make myself useful to-"

 

Lucia cut him off. Something wasn't right. He had moved unprovoked. Was this a habit he was used to employing with her cousin? But she was clearly not someone who lowered herself to familiars. "What are you hiding from me?"

 

Orion's eyes flashed with panic. "Mistress, please-"

 

Lucia hooked her fingers around his collar, dragging him forward by the neck. She ignored the pathetic spluttering noise he made, turning him and running her eyes over his form. Her attention was caught by an inflamed patch of angry red skin by his collar, where the previous buckle had been: a horrible burn mark, and new. Far larger than would have been necessary to remove his old collar. It was messy. And that meant it had been deliberate.

 

"Did they do this to you?"

 

"My deepest apologies, mistress, it was my fault; I was nervous and I fidgeted, and-"

 

"Don't lie to me, familiar. Was it on purpose?"

 

"No, of course not, please, it was my wrongdoing. I misbehaved, and I'll accept any punishment, mistress."

 

A clear lie. No amount of fidgeting would cause such a burn mark; it had been clearly impressed into his skin with the flat side of a blade, and besides, Orion was highly trained and disciplined. Collar removal was a regular occurance for him. Why would he lie to her so blatantly?

 

"Fine. Then, has anyone else hurt you since you came to me?" She asked.

 

"Nobody, mistress," Orion said as he regained his formal position on the floor. "You've been nothing but generous to me."

 

Lucia scoffed: another lie. Penelope had told her of her staff's violence, and it was impossible for the familiar to have forgotten.

 

"Two lies," Lucia said. Was this how it had begun? Had Emilia allowed her own familiar's behaviour to slide all those years ago, and was that how...? She reached out an arm, running a hand down Orion's cheek and settling it upon the artery of his neck, pressing in firmly enough to feel his jittering heartrate. "That's twice you've lied to me deliberately."

 

"I... don't know what you mean, mistress," Orion said with a nervous smile, avoiding her gaze.

 

She couldn't overlook a punishment anymore. His body was trembling, and radiating panic; a far stretch from his usual, controlled disposition in their previous interactions. She glared at him, waiting for him to drop the facade. But he remained silent until they arrived at the manor.

 

"Fine," Lucia said. "I'll make sure you explain this to me, one way or another."

 

-=-

 

Orion's mind reeled as he followed his mistress into the manor. He liked his new mistress, Lady Thornton, far more in comparison to her cruel cousin: with him, it was constant punishments, with beatings at the post for no reason other than it amused his master, and almost every evening, he would be _used_ at his whim. Be it under the desk, over the kitchen table, or in his bed - it was a constant cycle of pain. And psychologically, he was demanded to swing from personality to personality; when the role required it, he would be an exemplar familiar; in private, a willing prostitute; during punishments, a begging toy. Life with his mistress seemed like a dream; a far cry from sleeping in hard closets, and being locked in isolation as punishment for most hours of the day.

 

But regardless, Orion always craved the affection of his owners. He had been raised to please them; raised to desire their good will. And so when his lady had hardly given him the time of day, he had been pained. Yet, he had lied to her - an unforgivable crime, even though it was one he committed frequently with his previous owner to avoid problems - in an attempt not to burden her. He hardly expected her to care about his suffering either, as long as the overall product wasn't damaged.

 

He'd never been caught during a lie before.

 

"Penelope," he heard his mistress say. "Move a table into the darkroom for me. And my implements."

 

He kept his gaze firmly fixed on the floor. Punishment, he could manage, but the distaste that his mistress was radiating towards him was far more wounding. He waited in the hallway as she returned with a briefcase, before following her down a remote set of stairs that led to an old, cellar-like room. It smelt of must, and was carved out of undecorated stone; the walls, the ceiling, the floor. All that was in it were some crates, collecting dust in a corner, and a single candle holder attached to the wall as the only light source. A simple table lay in the middle, a cardboard box on top. Yet Orion found comfort in the fact that there was no blood on the floor. It meant, he hoped, that his mistress was not excessively sadistic. But he had no guarantees yet.

 

"Kneel," she commanded, and Orion did so immediately, with a painful noise as his bones collided with the floor. "Why did you lie to me?"

 

"I don't understand, mistress," he said, his voice steady. Why was he refusing to admit the truth? He knew in any other instance, he would have admitted his mistakes - yet he couldn't bring himself to.

 

 _How do I please her?_ He thought.

 

"Strip," she said, and Orion obliged. He'd long since been conditioned to not be shy about his body, nor to question orders. Everything, barring his bandages, was quickly removed and neatly folded beside him. "Lift your head." From the briefcase, or maybe the cardboard box on the table, she had produced a black blindfold that was fastened around his eyes. "Wrists," she said, and he felt them being tied by a thick rope in front of him - but not so tightly that they cut into his skin, as his previous master seemed to enjoy. They would be uncomfortable, but not much beyond that. He moved pliantly as his mistress' hand guided him firmly, until he was bent over the table. He could feel the rustling of his mistress behind him, yet no impacts came.

 

"Ten blows, for lying to me. You'll count them. Then, I'll keep going until you're ready to explain the truth to me."

 

Orion nodded, confusedly. It was such a mild - no, a weak - punishment compared to what he was used to. What instrument would be used to strike him? He could only imagine one with spiked metal, little else could justify such lenience. "Yes, mistress."

 

He took his blows without a whimper. Each one was dealt with a wooden implement, with enough force to sting, but not quite to bruise. His cheeks burned, but it was otherwise like a warm-up compared to what he was used to. Was that it, then? Did his mistress want an endurance test? A way of venting her frustration?

 

"Do you have anything to say?"

 

"No, mistress." But Orion could barely understand why he was choosing to subject himself to more pain. A mere ten blows couldn't be the extent of it - his mistress must want more.

 

They continued; every ten blows, his mistress would ask, then switch to a harder implement. First, something flat that felt like sandpaper, then, flat metal. After thirty more blows, she moved him off the table. His legs trembled only slightly as she used his hands to suspend him from something higher - he assumed there was a hook on the wall, just above his shoulder height, that his bound hands were tied to - so that his mistress had access to his thighs. Another fifteen blows, with a light cane. There wasn't quite enough pressure to break the skin, but what had previously only been whimpers turned to soft cries of pain.

 

"This isn't getting anywhere," he heard his mistress growl frustratingly. "Why do you insist upon this? Why would anyone think to acknowledge such a disobedient familiar?" She pulled the blindfold off him, and Orion looked at her, timidly. He was all but shocked by what he saw.

 

A hatred burned in her eyes. There was no pleasure, no enjoyment. And a feeling of disgust that he felt unshakably wasn't directed entirely at him.

 

"Mistress, I..." and then, he couldn't stop the words. "Does punishing me not please you?"

 

Something flashed in her eyes. "No," she said eventually. "Not in the way I thought it would." And suddenly, her expression changed to something terribly, awfully sad. Orion, whose only purpose was to please his owner, to make them happy - as he had been taught all his life - could bear it no more.

 

"Forgive me, mistress," he said. "I lied. The Thornheart servants, a group of them - all male - deliberately hurt me after I collapsed. And the tailor at the shop - she deliberately burned me, because I'm a familiar, and she said that she wanted to see pain across my pretty face. But I assure you, mistress, I would never betray you in such a way; I wish only to make you happy, not anyone else, and so I took the pain without any reaction. I didn't... I didn't mean to upset you, I just didn't want to cause you any trouble. I didn't want to burden you, and I thought that lying to do so would make you happier, and... I thought if you punished me, it would please you, because you... You look at me so coldly, with such hatred. But punishing me always seems to please my owners, so - so I don't understand," he felt his voice break. "Why hasn't it pleased you?"

 

At what point had Orion started crying? He didn't know. His vision was blurred with tears, and he looked down at the ground. Had he ever cried in front of an owner before? He couldn't recall a time he had done so, not unless they had wanted him to.

 

"You would never think to hurt a human? Or your master?"

 

Orion shook his head immediately. "Never; especially not you, my lady." The question confused him, but it was one he could answer, without hesitation.

 

He felt the rope binding his hands being loosened, and he sank to her feet. "I'm sorry, I truly am..." the familiar continued.

 

For the first time in perhaps his entire life, he had failed to please his owner. He had fallen short of his single purpose. He had never failed in such a way before.

 

He never heard a reply from his mistress; instead, her only response was to slam the door to the room shut, snuffing out the candle light. The turn of a lock could be heard from outside. And then, all he had was the apathy of the cold floor and the darkness to comfort him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for reading! In the next chapter, the character referenced in Lucia's POV, Emilia, will be learned about, and some much-needed fluff will occur.
> 
> As ever, it would be wonderful if you could leave a comment; I love hearing your thoughts!


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